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Advisor Do’s & Don’ts. Office of Student Activities & Involvement. Level of Involvement. O penly discuss what kind of role the advisor should play with the organization. Determine the level of involvement your advisor will hold with your organization/club.
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Advisor Do’s & Don’ts Office of Student Activities & Involvement
Level of Involvement • Openly discuss what kind of role the advisor should play with the organization. • Determine the level of involvement your advisor will hold with your organization/club. • It is up to the organization and the advisor to set the parameters of involvement. • With those thoughts in mind, the following list is a guideline to the “do’s”and“don‘ts” of student organization advising.
Assist Officers with Procedural Matters DO • Be knowledgeable of the organization’s purpose and constitution and help the general membership adhere to them. • Read the group’s constitution. • Know JMU Student Organization Policies DON’T • Take ownership for the group, be the “parent,” or the smothering administrator.
Empower Students to Take Action DO • Allow the group to succeed & fail, when necessary. • Learn when to speak and when not to speak. • Remember to let the students make the decisions while you provide guidance and advice. • Learn the strengths and challenges of the group. DON’T • Be afraid to let the group try new ideas. • Be afraid to let them fail.
Develop Clear Expectations about your Relationship to the Organization DO • Be visible and choose to attend organization meetings and events. At the same time, know your limits. • Establish an attendance schedule at organization meetings, which is mutually agreed upon by the advisor and the student organization. DON’T • Miss group meetings or functions to which they are expecting your attendance. • Assume the organization’s attitudes, needs and personalities will remain the same year to year.
Help Members Look Toward the Future by Developing Long-Term Goals DO • Develop a strong working relationship with all the officers. • Establish meetings with individual members of the organization who need additional guidance in their officer or committee positions. • Discuss concerns with officers in private and praise them in public. DON’T • Manipulate the group, impose, or force your opinions. • Assume that a new set of organization officers knows the mission and purpose of the group and how to accomplish these. • Be afraid to make a timeline with the officers for the organization to achieve its goals.
Keep your Sense of Humor and Enthusiasm DO • Share creative suggestions and provide feedback for activities planned by students. DON’T • Take everything so seriously. • Say“I told you so.”
Serve as a Resource Person DO • Take an active part in policy formulation through interaction with the members of the organization. • Serve as a continuity factor for the organization. • Encourage feedback and the evaluation process. • Encourage attendance at leadership training. DON’T • Become such an advocate that you lose an objective viewpoint. • Allow the organization to become a one-person organization.
Be Consistent with your Actions DO • Model good communication skills and listening skills. • Develop good rapport. • Follow procedures and procedures as set by the Office of Student Activities & Involvement and any local or inter/national affiliate. • Guide and assist students in becoming responsible leaders. DON’T • Be laissez-faire or autocratic. • Be inconsistent in your actions or answers.
Pay Attention to Situations that Might Cause Poor Public Relations DO • Give the organization autonomy but offer feedback, even when it is not solicited. • Let the organization work out its problems, but be prepared to step in when called upon to assist. • Help to resolve organization conflict. • Be available in emergency situations. DON’T • Assume the organization handles everything okay and doesn’t need you. • Close communications.
Introduce New Ideas DO • Introduce new program ideas with educational flavor. • Point out new perspectives and directions to the group. • Supply the knowledge and the insight of experience. DON’T • Know it all. • Be the leader or “run” the meeting. • Impose your own bias. • Tell the group what to do. • Do the work of the president or other members of the executive board.
Contact Information • Office of Student Activities & Involvement • 285 Warren Service Drive MSC 3501, Taylor Hall 205-A Harrisonburg, VA 22801 • (540) 568-8157 • beinvolved@jmu.edu • www.info.jmu.edu/osai